From October, a corona test will be chargeable for most people.
The Ministry of Health justifies the decision with the large number of vaccinations available.
Berlin - Access to a free corona test is to be significantly restricted.
The federal government is planning that from October 11th, the tests will only be free to a very limited extent for individual groups of people.
A draft bill by the Federal Ministry of Health, which Business Insider has submitted, reveals the first concrete details.
According to this, only the following four groups should be provided with free rapid tests:
People who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons.
People for whom there is no vaccination recommendation, e.g. pregnant women and children under the age of twelve.
People who have symptoms that indicate Corona *.
People who visit facilities in which there is close contact with high-risk patients, such as in the health and care sector.
Corona test soon to be paid for: interim solution for children and adolescents
According to the draft, children and young people between the ages of twelve and 17 should benefit from a transitional rule.
For them, the deadline for the free Covid-19 tests should not expire until the end of November.
The draft paper says that they want to be given enough time to find out about the corona vaccination, which is now also recommended by Stiko for children and adolescents, and to build up complete vaccination protection.
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From October 2021, a corona test will be chargeable for most people.
© Andrea Ronchini / Imago
For the rest of the time, it should become more expensive from autumn onwards.
According to a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health, "nobody can really say" exactly how expensive.
This will be decided "on the free market".
However, there are guidelines.
Statutory health insurance companies would pay around 43 euros for a PCR test in the laboratory, but around eleven euros for a rapid test.
Future prices could be based on this, said the spokeswoman.
To put it into perspective: At Frankfurt Airport, 89 euros are required for a PCR test, while a Corona rapid test costs 29 euros.
Before the introduction of the free citizen tests in March, pharmacies had charged between 20 and 50 euros for a quick test.
It is still unclear where corona tests will be offered from October
In view of the fact that a corona test often lasts a maximum of 48 hours, the new regulation for unvaccinated persons could mean expenses of several hundred euros per month - especially with an active social life.
If the incidence continues to rise and rapid test results are then no longer sufficient indoors, only the more expensive PCR tests remain.
However, a new corona vaccine should also convince vaccination skeptics to vaccinate.
However, it is still unclear where the tests will be offered from October, as is the question of costs.
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The Federal Ministry of Health justifies the discontinuation of the free tests with the wide range of vaccinations: "Since all citizens can now be offered a direct vaccination offer, permanent assumption of the costs for all tests by the federal government and thus the taxpayer is no longer indicated and not necessary. "
According to the information, the federal government would save up to ten million euros per million rapid tests, as well as another 3.5 million euros for necessary material costs.
(Nail Akkoyun)
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List of rubric lists: © Andrea Ronchini / Imago
